00:00We all know Donald Trump sent militarized agents into our state in the name of going after the worst of
00:07the worst.
00:08Remember when he said that? The worst of the worst, like going after children in daycare,
00:14like going after local business owners, like going after families sleeping peacefully in the middle of the night.
00:22The worst of the worst, he said.
00:25It ain't right. It was hard to feel anything but pure anger and pure shock during Operation Midway Blitz.
00:38Thank you, Lawrence. All right, we need to start it off with when we fight.
00:44When we fight. I love it. Good evening. It is great to be with all of you.
00:50Thank you for coming tonight and being part of this tremendous celebration.
00:55To all the leaders, to the staff, to the volunteers, to the champions in the private sector
01:01who have stood up with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights,
01:08you are important to this state. I stand here as testament to that fact.
01:13I want to say congratulations to ICER and to all of you on your 40th anniversary.
01:24Truly, what an incredible milestone. Really amazing.
01:30In 1986, a group of organizers in Illinois made a promise
01:36that no immigrant, no refugee family in this state
01:40would ever have to face a hard moment alone.
01:44And that was the beginning of ICER, a very simple statement of principle.
01:50Filling out applications, answering questions, ensuring that no one got left behind.
01:57Forty years later, the threats have intensified.
02:02Today, it's a president sending masked agents in unmarked cars into neighborhoods,
02:09tackling anyone whose color of their skin was black or brown,
02:15anyone with an accent, anyone who spoke a foreign language,
02:19taking them down.
02:22Those terrible, the ICE and CBP, they are still here.
02:27But you know who else is still here? ICER.
02:31ICER is still here.
02:34And you are still keeping your promise.
02:38And no one has done more to keep the promise
02:42than ICER's phenomenal executive director, Lawrence Benito.
02:51Lawrence, it's really a joy to see the profound difference
02:55that you and ICER have made and are making today
02:59across the state of Illinois.
03:02Let's give you and all of your staff one big round of applause, everyone.
03:11Look, as governor, I get to work with some truly incredible advocates
03:15across the state.
03:16But working with ICER has always felt like it has a special meaning.
03:23That's because this organization fights for the same values
03:27that first inspired me to run for public office.
03:31The belief that America should be a place where everyone can thrive,
03:36not just the most powerful.
03:39And the unshakable conviction that our diversity is something to embrace,
03:45not stifle or destroy.
03:48My family escaped from the Ukraine.
03:52During the pogroms many years ago.
03:55And if they had not been allowed into the United States,
03:59they would have been killed by the Russian Empire.
04:02They were lucky enough to come here
04:05and to be sponsored by an immigrant rights organization
04:09called HIAS that is still in existence today.
04:15My family arrived here with absolutely nothing except the willingness to work hard
04:21and a desire to be free.
04:25Now, I wouldn't be here without the people who supported them,
04:29the people who believe that immigrants are welcome here
04:33and that our American values are about standing up for the immigrants
04:38who arrive in this country and need our support.
04:45As governor, what's been especially inspiring is working with ICER
04:51and witnessing your dedication to that mission of standing up for our immigrant populations
04:58throughout the most difficult and most painful moments.
05:02Together, we recently marked the one-year anniversary of Operation Midway Blitz.
05:12We all know Donald Trump sent militarized agents into our state
05:17in the name of going after the worst of the worst.
05:20Remember when he said that?
05:22The worst of the worst, like going after children in daycare,
05:27like going after local business owners,
05:30like going after families sleeping peacefully in the middle of the night.
05:37It was hard to feel anything but pure anger and pure shock during Operation Midway Blitz.
05:47And I still feel that.
05:49But now I also feel enormous pride.
05:53And it's pride in the way that Illinoisans responded,
05:56that Chicagoans stood up for each other,
05:59especially the staff and volunteers of ICER.
06:08You rejected fear, and you chose to stand up and fight.
06:13You gathered your courage, and you dedicated yourselves to community.
06:18You made sure that kids got to school safely.
06:21You helped people understand their rights
06:23and built a rapid response network
06:26that people across the entire state of Illinois depended upon.
06:31Thank you. Thank you.
06:35And you know what?
06:37Your courage has been contagious.
06:40Over these last 40 years,
06:43your impact has been felt in every corner of Illinois.
06:46You've connected people to crucial safety net services.
06:50You helped more than 100,000 people
06:53apply for citizenship in this country.
07:00You helped more than 500,000 people gain citizenship in this country.
07:08You helped more than 250,000 people register to vote.
07:18And your work continues to be vital and nothing short of remarkable.
07:22And I really mean it.
07:23On behalf of the grateful people of Illinois, thank you.
07:27Thank you for fulfilling on the essential promise that you made 40 years ago.
07:31And, ladies and gentlemen, I want to present to ICER a proclamation on behalf of the great state of Illinois
07:39and our people.
07:47I just want you to know how proud I am.
07:52I really am proud to be here with ICER, with Lawrence, with all of you,
07:56because the work that you've done has saved lives.
08:00Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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